The Dallas Cowboys suddenly have an eye on the NFL playoffs after improving to 5-7 with their Thanksgiving win over the New York Giants. Even though Dak Prescott is out for the season, it has been Cooper Rush starting at quarterback over Trey Lance.
While Rush has been there and done that, what better time is there to evaluate Lance than with Prescott out for the year?
The front office is adamant that Rush gives Dallas the best chance to win. With that line of thinking - which is undoubtedly accurate, by the way - the Cowboys are essentially waving the white flag on their Lance investment.
While the offense still lacks explosiveness, Rush's play the last two weeks has likely put to rest any dialogue of Lance potentially getting a start.
Barring something unforeseen, the trade will go down as one of the worst in the Jerry Jones era and it's made even worse by the fact that Dallas could have had a dynamic running back in the 2024 NFL Draft if they simply didn't make the deal.
Rookie phenom Bucky Irving making Cowboys look foolish for Trey Lance trade
Bucky Irving carried the Buccaneers to an overtime win on Sunday over the Panthers. He had a career performance with 152 rushing yards and a touchdown on 6.1 yards per carry. He added three catches for 33 yards and surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards on the season.
Irving was selected by the Bucs one pick after the fourth-rounder the Cowboys traded to San Francisco for Lance. There is obviously no telling what Dallas would have done with the pick, but round four was widely viewed as the sweet spot for RBs in a lackluster class.
The Cowboys will get a taste of what Irving can do in three weeks when they host the Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.
Numerous Cowboys during the pre-draft process circled Irving as the perfect day three running back. While his 5-10, 195-pound frame doesn't fit the mold of a bell-cow, he has seemingly jumped two-year starter Rachaad White on the depth chart. White accumulated over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and nine total TDs last season, so he is a very capable back.
In the Bucs' last two games, Irving has tallied 240 rushing yards on 6.5 yards per tote and nine receptions (on nine targets) for 97 yards and two total TDs.
The only three RBs with more yards per touch than Irving are Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs, per The 33rd Team. His 85.1 player grade is sixth among qualified RBs and he is second (!) with 4.19 yards after contact per attempt, per Pro Football Focus.
A backfield committee of Rico Dowdle and Irving would look pretty good right about now, don't you think? Irving would add another dynamic to Dallas' offense, but the front office had to outsmart everyone by sending a fourth-round pick to the 49ers for Lance.
It is right up there with the Amari Cooper trade.